Like everyone else, I feel immense pride every time I play for Wales. This year was my first time doing so at home, in Cardiff, (my fourth time overall, (yes, I am counting)). Naturally, I invited my friends and family to come and watch the matches. Many teammates did the same which helped create a good atmosphere throughout the tournament. Captaining a Welsh squad as we hosted the other nations was an extra honour and a privilege. In anticipation, I bought the biggest Welsh flag I could find online and re-gripped all my rackets…
The assembled super squad had, Nic Birt from across the road, Jethro Binns from squashskills fame, Scott Fitzgerald, all the way from Italy, Alexis Cole, Phil Reagan and James Powell (myself).
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Our first opponents were Scotland.
After an atrocious first game, I calmed down a bit and ran a lot, to take the second and third games. Unfortunately, I lost the fourth because I’d spent too much energy. I thought I had won it in the fifth but ended up defeated 12-10.
Scott also had a first game to forget, but he sorted himself out quickly and went on to win it with class, three games to one.
Nic, after splitting the first two games with his opponent, then bageled him in the third! No mercy! He played the big points very well at the end of a much tighter fourth game, to win the match 3-1.
Alexis had a belter of a match against a very tricky opponent. The left-handed Scotsman seemed to leave Alexis unsure of what tactics to deploy. But in the crucial fifth game, he dug deep and won 12-10 to secure, not only his match, but the whole tie in favour of Wales. An epic performance.
Jethro finished the job off in style. Winning 3-0 and pretty much in control.
Wales 19-7 Scotland.
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Our next opponents were Ireland.
Phil knew he’d be playing first. So, to prepare himself, he was up and awake at some unspeakable hour, and it showed! He came flying out of the gates, playing excellent squash. A 3-0 win to start us off.
Scott had clearly also had his Weetabix as he played extremely accurate squash, with extra hold on his shots to send his very fast and fit opponent all over the place. Another 3-0 win, which put us up 2 matches to nil on the Irish at this point.
Nic won the first game. Lost the second game. He had game balls in the third but lost it 12-10. Put up a brave effort in the fourth but lost that game too, going down 3-1.
Alexis, who had brought his two young children along due to a lack of babysitters, won his first game, lost his second, then succumbed to injury in the third and had to withdraw.
Jethro fought for every point but couldn’t take a game off his opponent this time. A 3-0 defeat meaning the Irish had come back from two matches down, to steal the tie 3-2.
Wales 8-14 Ireland.
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Our last opponents were England.
The injury to Alexis meant that I had to play, despite a little injury myself. I chugged some ibuprofen and tried my best but didn’t get much out of my opponent who beat me quite comfortably 3-0.
Phil, Scott and Jethro all played well and did themselves proud. They each managed to take a game off high quality opponents but eventually lost 3-1. Special mention to Jethro for the most exhausting match I’ve ever seen. Both players looked like something out of the end of a Rocky movie.
Nic did one better and took two games off his opponent. A huge effort and great performance.
Wales 5-20 England
Ireland and Scotland were having a close tie as we were playing the English. In the end the Irish narrowly beat Scotland and finished just one point ahead of us in the table! So, we ended up in third place. A great tournament and something to build on for next time. Hopefully many in this squad will enter the Wales Masters championships and represent Welsh Masters in the Home Internationals again in the future.
Thank you and congratulations to Squash Wales for organising and hosting a fantastic tournament. I know the other teams were all happy and they certainly enjoyed themselves on the Saturday night out.
